Stabilizing device for ships



Feb. 13, 1940. c. VON DEN STEINEN 2,190,611

STABILIZING DEVICE FOR SHIPS Filed Jan. 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invnfor:

Feb. 13, 1940. c. VON DEN STEINEN 0,

, STABILIZING DEVICE FOR SHIPS Filed Jan. 1a, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 6

. Patented Feb. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca a y, poration Germany assignmto Ashnia-Werke A. G., a. cor- Application January 18, 9a, sum No. 185,580

' In Germany January 18, 1937 3 Claims. ((5, 111-122) This invention relates to stabilizing devices for ships, more particularly to anti-pitching devices. It is an object of this invention to .provide in a ship a reliable and effective device for coimter- 5 acting pitching movements;

It is a further object of this invention to provide a power actuated device which will not only stabilize the ship but also exert a propelling i'orce on the same.

According to this invention I provide in a ship near one end of the ship's body a Schneider propeller having a substantially horizontal axis of rotation and blades which are adjusted in response to pitching movements of the ship.

The Schneider type of propeller is well known in the .art and described, for example, in my copending application Ser. No. 184,492 filed January 11, 1938.

The Schneider propeller, briefly described, consists of a plurality of blades which are adjustably mounted on a rotatable support and which extend into the water substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the support. As it is well known in the art, forces will be exerted by the propeller blades on the surrounding water in any desired direction depending upon the adjustment of the blades relatively to the support. Thus by positioning a Schneider propeller near one end of the ship, the propeller will both propel the ship and stabilize the same when adjusted in response to the pitching movements of the ship. e

Further aims, objects and advantages of this invention will appear from a consideration of the description which follows with the accompanying drawings showing for purely illustrative purposes an embodiment of this invention. It is to be understood, however, that the-description is not to be taken in a limiting-sense, the scope of this invention being defined in the appended claims. I

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a shipequipped with a Schneider propeller according to this invention. v

Fig. 2 is a, sectional view'ot a Schneider propeller.

Figs. 3 to 5 are diagrammatic illustrations of the operation of the Schneider propeller in different adjustments.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing one form of ap- 50 paratus for controlling the Schneider propeller in response to pitching movements of the ship.

I In Fig. 1 a Schneider propeller I. is mounted with the axis of rotation ,ll substantially horizontal near the rear end of the shipsbody I2. 55 It'is easily apparent that a force exerted by the propeller in the direction of the arrow I3 will tend to lift the ships stern out of the water and at the same time propel the ship, while an oppositely directed force will tend to draw the stern into the water. By adjusting the Schneider propeller in a manner hereinafter more fully-described, the ship will accordingly be stabilized against pitching movements by moments exerted about a transverse axis of the ship.

Forassistingthedynamicstabilizihgaction of the Schneider propeller a further stabilizing device operating on the static principle is shown in the'illustrated example at the trout part of the ship. A compartment ll, open at the bottom l5, may be filled with water by means of a propeller 18 secured to a shaft l1 and driven by a reve1si ble motor IS, the motor being controlled in a manner hereinafter more fully explained. When the water level in the compartment rises above the level of the surrounding water a downwardly directed force will be exerted on the ship stabilizing the same. Conversely, the front part of the ship willbe lifted out of the water when water is discharged from the compartment to assume a level below that of the surrounding water.

The Schneider propeller tically indicated at "I is shown in greater detail in Fig. 2. "A plurality of blades I9 having shafts 23 are adjustably mounted in bearings 2| of a rotatable support 22. For rotating the support about the axis II the support is providedwitha bevel gear- 23 driven by a pinion 24 on a shaft 25. For adiusting the blades relatively to the support levers 26, 21 are provided, the levers 2i pivotally connected to a center part 28 at and the levers 21 linkedat 3ltowebs3l securedtothe shafts. By displacing the center of the part 23. relatively .to the axis II, the blades may be adjusted into diil'erent positions. For displacing the part 23 a lever 32 is provided universally mountedat 33 and engaging the part 28 at 34. The second arm ofthe lever 32 is universally mounted at 35in a. head 35.

Two servo-motors 31 and 33 are provided for moving the lever 32 into any desired direction. The servo-motor 31 includes a piston 39, the piston rod ll of which is pivotally connected to the head. at ll. The piston rod I2 01. the second servo-motor 38 is linked to the head at 43.

For understanding the present invention it is suilicient here to state that theservo-motor 33 controls the magnitude of the pitch of the blades, thereby varying the magnitude of the propeller force. The servo-motor 31 controlsthedirection of the force exerted by the propeller andis con- 5 trolled in a manner more fully described herein-- a conduit 19', and thence to the conduit 18 through ai'terin connection with Fig. 6. a further conduit 80.

when the center 3| is displaced relatively to It thus appears that the blades ofthe propelthe axis II in the direction of the axis 3-3' lers III will be adjusted by the relay 65inresponse (Fig. 3), the blades. I! rotating in the direction to longitudinal inclinations of the ship, the move- 5 of the'farrow i l will exert a force on the water as ments of the servo-motor 31 being repeated by di ted y t OWS parallel with the axis the servo-motor H for the purpose of exerting The P 9 o e S p djusted as a restoring action of the relay to prevent a huntshown in Fig. 3 will accordingly exert a force on ing and overshooting of the device.

the water in the direction of the axis 2 -2 tend- The shafts 25 of the Schneider propeller are 10 in: to lift the stern out of the water. jointly driven by a' motor 8l over gears 82 and InFig. 4 a different adjustment of the blades 83. The operation of the device so far described is shown in which the center 3Q 01 the member is as follows: w 23 i mov into ar t n between the axes when an inclination of the ship occurs causing 2-2 and 3- Inthlsadjustment a'force exerted a, movement of the pendulum to the right, the by'the'p ne b ad w be i the direction follower member 55 will cause the let-pi e to of the arrows 4i. register with the orifice 69, whereby a pressure is The Propeller adjusted 8 Shown n 5 in created in the conduits 16, I1 actuating the which the cen e It a the axis ll coincides w servo-motors 31 (see Fig. 2) for adjusting theexert no force on the water. the bladesrotatins' blades of the propellers l0. Pressme fluid idle. turning from'the servo-motors 31 moves the pis- A suitable term of epnerehis o controlling ton of the repeater servo-motor n "to the left the Schneider Propeller n servo-mom! thereby restoring the relay 65 to its neutral posi- Of an additional Sta g apparatus iS-ShOWB .tlon in a well known manner. The propellers ID in Fi 'A devi sponsive to longitudinal inwith their blades adjusted into a position in re- 2 clinations of the ship is shown in the illustrated sponge t t inclination of th shi will thus embodime as being Dendlllum e P exert a force on the same for stabilizing it as dulum may be ofthe shdrt or long period yp hereinbefore explained. in connection with Fig. 1- the former responsive o deviations from the For operating the servo-motor I8 of the static e 'e h apparent. the latter responsive to device "l4 in response to the inclinations or the dev a on-S om-t e e Vertical The Pendulum ship, the. above mentioned servo-motor 59 is con-.

y 58 is molmtedon the ship at 5| for oscillation nected t a t d spindle 85 u on which a energy irom a source ill one terminal of which parallel with the longitudinal'axis h nut 86 travels. The nut is prevented from turn- I Contacts Elton the pendulum are movable beingby aguidmg-md a1, A cpntact roller 89 is Ween mm 53 and 0f fOllQWel member rotatably mounted on an arm 90 of the nut 86, 55, also pivotally mounted a L The follower the roller being connected to a battery-9| through member pmvlded with a toothed edge 56 mesh" a lead 32.. The second terminal of the battery mg with 8 shaft drive" by 9| is connected to the motor l8 through a lead reversible The is supplied with as. Leads 94 and as connect the motor l8 with com] the ai'i'es of a variable resistance 88. ti im a gig i In its normal position shown in the drawings in through alead it The contacts 53 and 5 are which the roller is in connection with the center connected with the motor through leads and of the resistance 96, equal E. M. F.s will be imfl, respecflvely. pressed on the servo-motor I 8 through leads 9| Wheninresponseto pitching movements of th and 95 and the motor be at 'rest. Upon inclinaship a relative displacement between the "pendution of the ship the roller '88 will move towards him 5! and the follower member occurs, one of one end of the resistance 96 causing the motor the pair of contacts 52,53 or 52, SI will be closed [8 to turn in one direction or the other and ca s t e eter 8 .to ve e o l e exerting a stabilizing action on the ship in am- 231- nto fii e mge l ltwith n; pe gdlfl l lm- The -ner describedin connection with Fig.1.

1- e e ewer mem h eeemes a obviously, the present invention is not reh l3 h stricted on the particular embodiment herein By the fellow s a relate controlled 5 3512251 3: fir ifisy s g fisih r m fii r fi in. the illustrated embodiment shown as being'oi 66 not indispensable that all features of this inventhe jet-pipe type and including a movtio be ed mt sin V th able 3 Pipe ii pivoted'at i6 and supplied with ia n us Ce may pressure fluidethrougha conduit 81. The jet-pipe geously be employed m varius combmflms mesa. jet of p e fluid into reception OIL and subcombinations.- 7 V flces 8 and II depending upon the relative posiwhat is claimed is: 50 tion of thejet-pipe and the orifices. The jet- The combinatiqn with a ship's dy 01 a pipe asis connected to a double-armed lever 10' smneider Propeller l d n a pl rality of through a link one arm of the revel. in being blades and a rotatable support for said blades on ected to the follower member thro h a link which Said blades are adjustably mounted i me second arm of the lever in is nnected stantiany Parallel F the axis saidsupporh with a piston rod 1: of o'repeeter servo-motor 14 said Schneider Pmpeuer being muted on Said m a body near one: end thereof-and with the axis of P amen I the reception mince rotation substantilly horizontal and transverse ls'conducu tothe servo-motori'l (Fig. 2 or the the ships magnum axis; means m servo-motors of the two propellers are being con- 88. is conducted to the repeater motor ll through ing said propeller; and means-responsive tothe l0 hnei propeller l through eeenduit The pitching oscillations of the ship for automatically controlling the a ustm n nected parallel through conduits 11 and n. may w said e said blades port accordihgto the phase of .Pmssure fluid en ering the r ce n orifices said pitching oscillations; whereby forces will be exerted on the ship by the propeller, counter- 16 a acting pitching movements and stabiiizing the same.

2. The combination with a ships body of two Schneider propellers, each propeller including a plurality of blades and a rotatable support for said blades on which said blades are adjustably mounted substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of said support, one Schneider propeller being mounted on the starboard, the other on the port side of said body and near one end thereof with the axes of rotation substantially horizontal; power means connected jointly to drive both propellers; and means responsive to the pitching oscillations of the ship for automatically controlling the adjustment of the blades of both propellers relatively to said support according to the phase of said pitching oscillations, whereby vertical forces will be exerted on the ship by the propellers counteracting pitching movements and stabilizing the same.

3. The combination with a ship's body of two Schneider propellers, each propeller including a plurality of blades, a rotatable support for said blades on which said blades are adjustably mounted substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of said support, and a servo-motor for adjusting said blades, one Schneider propeller being mounted on the starboard, the other on the port side of said body and near one end thereof with the axes of rotation substantially horizontal; power means connected jointly to drive both propellers; means forming a compartment near the other end or the body and communicating with the surrounding water; a propeller in said compartment for forcing water into and out of it; a reversible servo-motor for driving said propeller last mentioned; and means responsive to longitudinal inclinations of the ship for controlling said reversible servomotor in either direction and the adjustment of said Schneider propeller so as to change the inclination of the Schneider propellers thrust in a substantial vertical plane against the horizontal, whereby forces will be exerted on the ship counteracting pitching movements and stabilizing the same.

CARL you can STEINEN. 

